


as the moon; so beautiful.

by carpesoo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Cheap Humour, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Some Space Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-13 21:10:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20180776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carpesoo/pseuds/carpesoo
Summary: a lunarian with a desire to visit planet earth, an earthling in need of a fake boyfriend, and a writer signed up to a fanfic exchange walk into a bar…





	as the moon; so beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bloodred_ander](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodred_ander/gifts).

> i really do hope my recipient and readers enjoy this fic.
> 
> a big shoutout to tlist for putting up with me during the entire writing process, especially those who offered their support and encouragement—i don’t think i could’ve done it without you.
> 
> and a massive thank you to yeolday mod for organising and running this exchange!

**月が綺麗ですね  
** _**tsuki ga kirei desu ne**_  
_translation_: the moon is beautiful, isn’t it?  
_definition_: i love you.  


  
the sound of shrill screeches and a sea of screaming susans fill the room. the hardwood flooring is practically grimacing at the number of chairs scraping its surface. the table settings are a mess, no longer the instagram worthy image of perfection they had been a mere five minutes prior.

the flourishing flowers that once took centre stage on the ivory tablecloth no longer draw the admiration of guests as the marvel at its blossoming beauty and the ground has been ruthlessly littered with an array of shiny silverware and pristine place cards.

the desperate pleas to stop fighting go ignored. those who have given up have since taken cover under the tables to escape from all the carnage. guests who were fortunate enough to have yet been seated stand with their backs against the wall, each face sharing the same expression of shock and horror, unable to tear their gaze away from the trainwreck unfolding right before their very eyes.

to describe the scene as utter chaos would be an understatement. this is supposed to be a wedding ceremony, not a battle royale.

one of the grooms—a man dressed in a black tuxedo that appears to be about three sizes too large for him—throws himself into the horde, taking the responsibility of crowd control. he tries his best to calm and settle the congregation when a bellowing shriek pierces through the rowdy ruckus.

the other groom, however, is currently having a mental breakdown. he takes a look at the flower bouquet that is nothing but a rose gold organza ribbon that binds an array stems and stalks—not a single petal in sight. he throws it to the floor and screams at the top of his lungs causing the flock of people surrounding him to flinch. dressed head to toe in white, the enraged man straightens his jacket and takes several deep breaths. he closes his eyes—an attempt to compose himself, no doubt.

when his eyes flutter open, he loosens the bow tie that wraps around his neck and rushes forward. he barely makes it two feet when his betrothed halts him in his tracks.

the groom in black whispers something into the other man’s ears, words that can’t be heard through the herd of people screaming and shouting over one another. there’s a nod of the head from both parties. whatever was said has appeared to have placated his lover. the tension in the man’s face has disappeared and his hands are no longer balled into fists.

but alas, their smiles last about as long as a fan’s composure when faced with their bias standing right in front of them.

the groom in white makes eye contact with one of his guests, and his seething wrath returns tenfold. “you!” he charges towards a man dressed in a sleeveless shirt and khaki shorts. “what are you wearing?”

“can you believe this entire outfit cost me less than ten bucks?” the casually dressed man replies.

the groom, practically foaming at the mouth, is rendered speechless.

“it’s okay, dear. he’s here to celebrate our big day, and isn’t that what we should focus on?” the groom in black says. 

the other turns towards his future husband, “he’s wearing sandals… and _socks_for crying out loud!”

“i didn’t realise there would be a strict dress code. i’m really sorry. but you know what would make you feel better?” the man turns around and grabs a plate from the table. “you should try some of this, it’s really tasty!”

the groom immediately recognises the pearl white flower fondant that sits next to the half eaten slice of cake. “i-is that our wedding cake?”

the room stills, save for a few audible gasps. 

“y-you cut into our wedding c-cake?” his voice grows shakier and is barely louder than a whisper.

“er…” the man clears his throat several times before continuing, “i was feeling a little hungry and was told to help myself to the food.”

the groom, with no words to offer, instead lunges forward and wraps his fingers around the wedding cake thief’s neck. “this was supposed to be the happiest day of my life but you’ve ruined everything! how could you?”

_*record scratches*_

_*freeze frame_*

“yup, that’s me. the one wearing socks with the sandals because i was led to believe that showing my toes at such a formal event would be inappropriate. the name’s park chanyeol. you’re probably wondering how i ended up in this situation. well, it all started when ….”

_*rewinds to twelve days earlier*_

chanyeol peers outside the window and observes the scenery. despite having the same view for the past twenty six years of life, he still can’t help but stare in awe—the world is beautiful.

with no memories of his life prior to his settlement on the dark side of the moon—aged six—chanyeol has devoted most of his waking hours wondering what life on planet earth must be like. it doesn’t matter how many tales he’s heard over the years, it would never compare to actually experiencing it himself—how could it?

his fingers begin to trace the swirls of white clouds, a habit he’s failed to kick since he was a child. he’s always loved the unique patterns they form and the way they dance over the deep blue ocean.

“want another one?”

“nah, work’s been cutting back hours so probably not a good idea.” chanyeol returns his empty glass back to the bartender. with a deep sigh, he pulls out a bill from his wallet and sets it on the counter. 

the bartender shakes his head and pushes the note back towards chanyeol. “keep it. drinks are on the house, tonight.”

chanyeol contemplates protesting but decides against it. sure, he has just as much pride as the next person, but there are occasions he can’t afford to reject another’s generosity. literally. “thanks, sehun. you’re a good guy,” he says with a genuine smile of appreciation.

“i know,” sehun replies. he chuckles lightly and pours another drink into a glencairn glass and places it in front of chanyeol. 

chanyeol folds the bill and tucks it back into his wallet. without much thought, he counts how much money he has to last him until his next paycheque and instantly realises it was a mistake. his financial situation is much graver than he’d previously thought. he was paid just the week before—where did all of his money go?

with a tendency to bury his head in the sand, chanyeol has always tried not to dwell too much on savings and planning for the future. though not entirely his fault, chanyeol doesn’t have the luxury of setting aside some of his earnings for a rainy day. he’s stuck in a dead end job, living paycheque to paycheque and barely scraping by each month.

stuffing the wallet back into his pocket, chanyeol distracts himself from his financial woes by drawing his gaze to the window again. “i don’t know how, or why, you could ever leave planet earth. for here, of all places,” chanyeol says to the bartender.

“it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” a new voice—definitely not sehun’s—asks.

not having noticed someone had taken a seat beside him, a startled chanyeol almost slips off the stool. with both hands on the counter to regain balance, he directs his attention to the man sat adjacent to him. “uh, yeah. it’s breathtaking.”

“have you ever visited?” the man asks.

chanyeol shakes his head. he holds the glass in front of him with both hands and slowly raises it to his lips. he takes a small sip and almost recoils from the sudden burning sensation as the spirit travels down his throat. yeah, he definitely doesn’t enjoy the taste of whiskey.

“you should one day,” the stranger continues.

as if it were that easy, chanyeol thinks. and it’s not through lack of trying. however, over the course of the years, chanyeol has learned to accept the hard hitting reality—it would never be anything more than a pipedream.

“never gonna happen. not even if i worked non-stop for the next hundred years,” chanyeol says bitterly. he gulps the rest of his drink in one shot and takes a sharp inhale. he’ll be feeling that until the end of next week.

“that’s rough. i’m sorry to hear that,” the man says and hands chanyeol a napkin.

“it’s not your fault,” chanyeol replies and pats his mouth with the paper towel.

the conversation ends and the two sit in silence. chanyeol steals a glance at the other man, noting his impossibly perfect nose and full lips. the man appears quite petit. he’s shorter than chanyeol is, that’s for sure. he has a small frame but not what chanyeol would consider scrawny by any means.

the man takes a sip of what appears to be orange juice and chanyeol observes the man’s hands. ah, so he’s a nail biter. but other than that, the man has an impeccably groomed appearance.

the stranger has short and neat hair, a clean shaven face and not that chanyeol had purposefully taken a whiff or anything, but having trained himself to stop being a mouth breather, chanyeol favours taking deep inhales through his nose and couldn’t help but notice the man smelled fresher than cotton linen being hung to dry in a meadow on a hot summer’s day.

chanyeol is more than willing to admit that the man sat next to him is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. extremely so. and dare he say it, he might even feel a twinge of physical attraction.

chanyeol takes another peek at the man through his peripheral vision. yup, still ridiculously handsome. not wanting to cross the line into creepy, chanyeol turns in his chair and leans forward. his face now mere inches away from the window, chanyeol watches the glass pane steam up from his warm breath. he pulls the sleeve of his shirt over his hand and scrubs the clear surface with it.

“there, that’s better,” he says out loud, not really directing the comment to anyone in particular.

“i can’t tell you how trippy it’s been for me,” chanyeol hears the man say from behind him. “looking outside and seeing the earth instead of the moon.”

chanyeol swivels in his chair to face the man. “you’re from planet earth—you’re an earthling?”

the man nods his head. “i’ve only been here for… wow, has it really been three months, already? feels like i moved here just last week. i guess it’s going to be a while before i consider myself a true inhabitant of the moon—a lunarian like yourself.”

chanyeol can’t quite believe what he’s hearing. “wait, you moved here? voluntarily?”

“yup,” the man replies.

“but why?” chanyeol asks in shock. he’s only met one other person who had relocated but sehun had done so in the name of love. and even then, chanyeol had found sehun’s decision to be of poor judgement (a sentiment he kept very much to himself.)

“it’s… complicated,” the man says. “there was nothing left for me on earth. i wanted to experience something new. _exciting_.”

chanyeol frowns. “and you came _here_?!” 

there’s a lot of adjectives he would use to describe the place but exciting would never be one of them. in fact, if he had three words to describe life on the dark side of the moon, they would be: mind numbingly dull. nothing worthy to report ever happens here. literally. the moon is nothing but a giant space rock. 

the man smiles at him but chanyeol can tell it’s not one of genuine joy or happiness. “i couldn’t be free back home. i had so many restrictions and i felt… suffocated.”

chanyeol snorts at the irony. without a constant flow of oxygen pumping into the bar, they’d all perish from asphyxiation. “sorry, i just don’t think i could ever relate. seriously, i would do anything to get away from here.”

“well, actually…” the man begins before trailing off. “no, forget it. it’s a crazy idea.

despite the act of raising and dismissing a topic in the same breath of air being one of chanyeol’s top pet peeves and never one to give into his inquisitive nature on sheer principle, chanyeol finds his curiosity well and truly piqued. so much so, he can’t stop himself from asking, “what is it? you can tell me, even if it is wackadoodle. there’s no judgement under this roof.”

“well, i gotta go back this weekend. it’s my cousin’s wedding and i was going to go with my best friend but he bailed on me last minute and i’ve already bought the tickets for the space shuttle back to earth. so… how would you like to join me?”

chanyeol falls out of his chair.

“are you okay?” the man asks, quickly jumping to his feet and helping chanyeol up. “it’s insane, right? like, we don’t know anything about each other. i don’t even know your name.”

“chanyeol! my name is park chanyeol. nice to meet you,” he introduces himself and extends out a hand. “and if you’re being serious, i accept your offer!” 

the other man reaches out and shakes chanyeol’s hand. “i’m doh kyungsoo. nice to meet you, too. and i am one hundred percent serious. but first, can i ask you something? well, more of a favour.”

of course there’s a catch. chanyeol knows better than to expect a free handout. what would kyungsoo possibly want? he’s aware chanyeol has no money to offer. is he after his rock collection? no, that can’t be it. no one knows about that. perhaps his soul? or his firstborn? whatever it is, chanyeol would agree because, yes, he’s that desperate.

“go ahead,” chanyeol says.

kyungsoo’s eyes dart around in every direction except chanyeol’s. he switches from twiddling his thumbs to adjusting the collar of his shirt.

“oh, just out with it already,” chanyeol wishes to say from refrains from doing so.

kyungsoo finishes the rest of drink and orders a shot of vodka which he downs in less than a second. equipped with some much needed liquid courage, kyungsoo finally makes eye contact with chanyeol. “so, uhm, how would you like to be my boyfriend?”

if someone had told chanyeol a week ago that he’d be walking on planet earth, he never would’ve believed them. and yet here he is, roaming about the earth’s surface without the need for a space suit and gravity boots. chanyeol has always dreamed about this but the reality far exceeds his expectations.

he closes his eyes, allowing his other senses to become heightened. he feels the cool breeze caress his bare arms, the scent of freshly cut grass fill the air and the soft chirping of nearby birds provide a pleasant resonance.

“did you memorise the information packet i prepared out for you?”

chanyeol opens his eyes slowly. “yes. you need to chill, kyungsoo. i’ve got all the bases covered.”

“when’s my birthday?” kyungsoo asks him.

“january 12th. at least make it challenging for me,” chanyeol answers. he puts on a pair of sunglasses to protect his eyes from the bright sun. a contraption he’s been fascinated with ever since sehun had shown it to him a couple of months earlier. it’s not like chanyeol ever had a use for it on the moon that was perpetually shrouded in complete darkness save for the artificial lighting installed.

“okay, what time was i born?” kyungsoo shoots chanyeol another question.

in the short time that chanyeol has been acquainted with kyungsoo, chanyeol has quickly established the shift in personality whenever his parents are mentioned.

chanyeol has been crashing at kyungsoo’s apartment for the past week and they’ve been practically joined at the hip. chanyeol had agreed to playing the role of kyungsoo’s fake boyfriend during his cousin’s upcoming nuptials in exchange for an all expenses paid return trip to the earth and back.

at first, chanyeol had thought he’d scored the bargain of a lifetime. surprisingly, he and kyungsoo had quite a few common interests. they spent their entire journey on the space shuttle—that takes three days—discussing their favourite music genres and artists. kyungsoo told him all about his career as a chef and chanyeol—boasting a large appetite—had offered to be his guinea pig.

he’d also revealed how his parents were always comparing him to his cousins. kyungsoo had been focused on his career which left very little time to pursue romantic relationships. let alone find someone he could envision settling down with. the last straw had been when kyungsoo’s last single cousin announced his engagement. every conversation he had with his parents since then somehow always wound up about kyungsoo’s love life.

fed up with constant nagging and badgering, kyungsoo had uprooted his entire life and relocated to the moon just to escape his parents. it had dawned on chanyeol what kyungsoo had said earlier about feeling suffocated. and in this instance, chanyeol understood why kyungsoo would leave planet earth, as amazing as it is.

chanyeol also opened up about his personal life. he told kyungsoo that he doesn’t remember anything about his parents and was pretty much raised by his uncle. though an earthling by blood, his uncle was a lunarian at heart. his uncle loved living on the moon and had always tried to get chanyeol to share the sentiment but to no avail.

a few tears were shed when chanyeol revealed that his uncle had passed a few years ago, leaving chanyeol to fend for himself. despite picking up two jobs, chanyeol had been struggling to cover rent for the two bedroom apartment he and his uncle had been living in.

forced to relocate into a small, dingy, studio apartment, chanyeol had been heartbroken to say goodbye to the home he grew up in. chanyeol had even admitted to visiting his old home whenever he missed his uncle.

chanyeol was unsure at which point kyungsoo took his hand into his own, but he felt comforted whenever kyungsoo would give his hand a light squeeze during his recollection of the past.

he was astonished at how fast they’d connected. there were no awkward silences or forced conversations. everything had been sailing smoothly. that is, until they reached kyungsoo’s home and he’d slammed a binder onto the kitchen counter with so much gusto, chanyeol had been afraid the marble counter was going to collapse under the pressure.

kyungsoo hadn’t been kidding when he said that his parents reduced him to a nervous wreck. “i just need them to see that i’m in a relationship and hopefully they’ll get off my back about settling down.”

a man of his word, chanyeol spent hours reading page after page, learning kyungsoo’s entire life story. save for someone with an eidetic memory, there was no way chanyeol could’ve memorised the overwhelming data in a week.

and chanyeol didn’t think he’d have to. he once dated a lunarian for an entire year and to this day, chanyeol still has no idea what his former lover’s surname was.

“seriously? your parents are going to grill me on the _exact_ time you were born?” chanyeol asks.

“you never know.”

“i seriously doubt your parents even remember, honestly.”

“okay, fine. you can test me instead,” kyungsoo says.

“this is going a little overboard, don’t you think? no one’s going to find out we’re not really dating just because we don’t know every little thing about each other,” chanyeol assures. he picks up the printout kyungsoo had handed him this morning while they were eating breakfast. he scans the first page again. “do you really think i need to remember the date your parents got married?”

kyungsoo shrugs. “you never know,” he says again.

“we should just let this develop organically. just like a real relationship. besides, if we’ve supposedly been dating for three months, i think we’ve spent more than enough time together this week alone to make up for it.” chanyeol places a hand on kyungsoo’s shoulder. “we’ll be fine.”

“i’m just a little nervous,” kyungsoo admits.

“a little?” chanyeol laughs while dodging the punches kyungsoo throws. “grab yourself a drink to calm your nerves and i’ll go upstairs and get changed.”

“i left your suit in room 1261,” kyungsoo tells him. “sorry i can’t stay with you.”

with a shake of his head, chanyeol gently pushes kyungsoo towards the hotel’s entrance. “stop apologising, already. i know you’ve got to help with all the food prep, mr. wedding caterer.”

kyungsoo shoots chanyeol a smile. “thanks for your support and encouragement this week. i don’t think i could’ve pulled this off without you.”

kyungsoo’s statement couldn’t be further from the truth. it had very little to do with chanyeol’s involvement and everything to do with kyungsoo’s culinary skills.

“it was all you,” chanyeol says. “i’m proud of you. everyone’s going to love the food. so much so, they’ll burst out of their clothes. just like they do in that anime we were watching last night.”

“i swear to god, i’m cancelling my crunchyroll account as soon as we get home.” and with that empty threat (considering it’s always kyungsoo who initiates the binge watching sessions) kyungsoo takes his leave.

it’s odd, chanyeol thinks. although kyungsoo’s achievements aren’t his own, chanyeol feels a sense of joy as if they were. perhaps it’s due to his bearing witness to the entire process. watching kyungsoo slaving over the stove, adjusting his recipes despite chanyeol telling him the dishes were already delicious enough and didn’t need any improvement. 

chanyeol will never forget the way kyungsoo’s face would light up whenever he told him how amazing his cooking was. chanyeol’s heart would flutter on occasion, almost forgetting that their relationship wasn’t actually real. 

kyungsoo is an amazing man and deserves all the happiness in the world. and as long as he’s around, chanyeol will do everything in his power to ensure it.

on the way to his room to get changed, chanyeol stumbles across a vacant room filled with flowers. their scent is intoxicating, nothing like the artificial fragrance lunarians have created to replicate the real thing. without much thought, chanyeol pockets his sunglasses and steps into the room. he takes a look around and ponders if there’s a better aroma than freshly cut flowers? if there is, he hasn’t discovered it yet.

chanyeol is about to exit the room when a flash of white catches his eyes. he takes several steps backwards until he’s standing in front of the most majestic looking tuxedo he’s ever set eyes on. it’s much more mesmerising than the ones kyungsoo had rented for the two of them.

he removes the jacket from the hanger and holds it against his chest. he looks in the mirror and nods his head in approval—he would look good in white. it couldn’t hurt to try it on for a quick second, could it? 

putting on the tuxedo proves far more challenging than chanyeol had first anticipated. it’s not exactly tailored to fit his body proportions. the trousers are far too short, and the jacket is far too tight. once all the buttons are fastened, chanyeol takes another look at his reflection as he strikes several different poses.

he’s ready to take off the borrowed clothes when he trips over his own two feet and tumbles onto the nearby couch. he’s about to thank his lucky stars he hasn’t injured himself when he hears a loud rip coming from his trousers. quickly getting to his feet, he hears another tear—this time it’s the blazer.

“no, no, no, no! please don’t tell me…” he quickly slips of the jacket and yup—there’s a massive tear. 

as he inspects the extent of the damage he’s inflicted to the outfit, he can’t help but wince at the torn seams—it’s a lost cause. chanyeol has no other option than to dispose of the evidence. swiftly leaving the room, the material tucked under his arm, he makes a run for the elevator.

in the safety of his room, chanyeol paces back and forth, debating as to whether or not he should share what happened with kyungsoo. on one hand, he knows kyungsoo has his hands full as it is. chanyeol doesn’t want to add any more to his plate. but on the other, chanyeol doesn’t want to hide anything from him.

he takes a seat on the bed and looks at the mangled two-piece hanging in front of him. it’s bad—really bad. before he can give the matter any additional thought, there’s a knock on the door.

“chanyeol?” the door opens and kyungsoo peeks his head through the opening. “you’re not changed yet?” he asks.

“i was just about to. what’s up?” chanyeol replies. he gets to his feet, creeping slowly over to the tuxedo. “hey, what’s that behind you?”

when kyungsoo turns around, chanyeol grabs the ensemble and throws it to the corner of the room in one swift motion. he breathes a sigh of relief when it falls out of sight.

“what? i don’t see anything.”

“my bad, i thought i saw a massive bug behind you. turns out it was just the peephole,” chanyeol says, silently impressed by his ability to think quickly on the spot. “anyways, did you need something?”

“yeah, junmyeon can’t find his tuxedo.”

“junmyeon?”

“he’s the other groom—the one my cousin is getting married to. anyways, he and baekhyun had planned on wearing these special white tuxedos but his has gone missing.”

oh, shit. chanyeol hadn’t realised the outfit he’d tried on and wrecked belonged to one of the grooms.

“anyways, he doesn’t have anything appropriate to wear and we’re about the same size so i’m going to lend him mine,” kyungsoo informs him.

“you can’t do that!” chanyeol blurts out loud.

“why not?” kyungsoo asks.

chanyeol has been looking forward to seeing kyungsoo in formal wear ever since they went to hire their outfits for the wedding. kyungsoo had literally taken chanyeol’s breath away the second he stepped out of the changing rooms.

despite chanyeol’s incessant pleas to snap photos to commemorate the occasion, kyungsoo had told him that they could take plenty of photos at the actual wedding.

without a solid comeback to offer, chanyeol had switched to sulking instead. when the underhanded tactic of pouting proved to be ineffective, chanyeol had no other choice but to concede.

with the chance of capturing kyungsoo’s good looks—in a tuxedo, no less—under threat, chanyeol decides to sacrifice his own outfit instead. it makes the most logical sense. after all, chanyeol is the reason why junmyeon needs new clothes in the first place.

knowing kyungsoo and his aptitude for selflessness, he’s unlikely to accept chanyeol’s proposal. therefore, chanyeol needs to come up with a way to to pass his outfit to the groom without kyungsoo’s knowledge.

“i mean, you have better things to do, don’t you? i’ll bring it down to junmyeon myself,” chanyeol says. man, he’s on a roll today.

“that would be a great help. thanks, chanyeol,” kyungsoo says with a smile.

there’s that smile again. the one that causes chanyeol’s heart to race and his hands to clam up.

“i’ve got to get back to the kitchen,” kyungsoo announces and opens the door to depart. “i’ll see you soon?”

chanyeol nods. “yup, can’t wait!” he waves goodbye and watches kyungsoo making his way down the corridor. chanyeol waits until kyungsoo turns the corner before returning to the room.

chanyeol locates a memo pad and a pen, and scrawls a message informing kyungsoo that junmyeon has found an alternative outfit and his one is no longer needed. after he finishes writing the note, he places it on top of kyungsoo’s ensemble.

he drapes his garment bag over his left arm and takes another look at kyungsoo’s outfit he’s laid neatly on the bed. the image of kyungsoo’s smile springs to mind and chanyeol finds himself cracking a wide toothy grin.

chanyeol recalls the time they’ve spent together so far. how much he enjoys kyungsoo’s company; their late night conversations that last until the early hours of the morning; and the spark he feels every time they make contact with each other.

could it be that chanyeol has developed actual romantic feelings for kyungsoo?

with his head in the clouds, chanyeol makes his way to the ground floor. on his way, he bumps into a stranger holding two large bouquets.

“do you know where the junmyeon’s suite is? the one with the rest of the floral arrangements?” the unfamiliar man asks.

chanyeol nods. “yeah, i think it’s just down there,” he replies, pointing towards the direction of the room.

“i’m in a bit of a hurry, can you please take these there and leave them with the others?” the man asks.

before chanyeol has a chance to reply, the stranger has already thrust the flowers into chanyeol’s arms and has started jogging down the narrow corridor. “be careful, they’re the ones the grooms will be holding as they walk down the aisle.”

another image of kyungsoo suddenly pops into chanyeol’s head, this time of him holding a bouquet and walking down the aisle. distracted, chanyeol drops one of them. as he bends down to pick it up, he sees one of the flowers has escaped from its binding.

he’s about to try to wedge the flower back into the bouquet when he remembers something he caught on a tv show he and kyungsoo had watched.

the main character had speculated whether or not her love interest felt the same way towards her and through the act of pulling the petals off a flower, she attempted to calculate the probability her love was reciprocated.

mirroring the ritual, chanyeol begins to pluck the petals of the stray flower. “he loves me. he loves me not. he loves me. he loves me not. he loves me. he loves me not.”

his heart sinks as the last remaining petal falls to the floor. unable to shake the disappointment, he dismisses the results as an anomaly. more trial runs need to be conducted to ensure a significant result.

chanyeol begins again, picking one of the flowers in the bouquet at random. “he loves me not. he loves me. he loves me not. he loves me. he loves me not. goddammit! again.”

as he continues walking down the path towards his destination, chanyeol proceeds to implement further data analysis. when he arrives in front of the suite, the score between he loves me versus he loves me not stands at 9-12, in favour of he loves me not.

looking at the arrangement to pick another flower, he gasps when he realises all but one of the flowers has been picked clean. unwilling to accept the results so far, chanyeol pins all his hopes on the last stem. this one flower will decide the outcome.

chanyeol picks a petal. _kyungsoo feels the same way._ another petal. _kyungsoo doesn’t feel the same way._ one more petal. _kyungsoo likes me._ he picks yet another. _kyungsoo doesn’t like me._ chanyeol’s hand is shaking as he plucks the final petal from the flower.

“he loves me! he loves me! he really loves me!” chanyeol cheers with exuberance, casting the items in his hands aside.

realising he needs to take more care with the things he’s been tasked to look after, he picks the flowers and garment bag from the ground and gently places it on the bed. it’s a good thing there were two bouquets—it’s always wise to have a backup.

with a spring in his step, chanyeol practically skips out of the room, humming quietly to himself. making his way to the foyer to mingle with the other guests, chanyeol spots two familiar faces.

when he approaches the couple, chanyeol clears his throat to draw their attention. “hello, mr. and mrs. doh. i’m park chanyeol—kyungsoo’s boyfriend. nice to meet you both.”

his introduction is met with stone cold silence.

“kyungsoo—your son—has told me so much about you. you must be very proud of him,” chanyeol continues, undeterred by the stoic expression on both kyungsoo’s parents’ faces.

“well, i’m not exactly proud of the fact that he’s still unwilling to leave the kitchen,” kyungsoo’s mother says while her husband nods in agreement.

“kyungsoo is more than capable of running a restaurant without having to set foot in one,” his mother continues.

chanyeol hadn’t expected this kind of reaction. “but he’s so passionate about cooking. and his food is delicious! and creative!” he tells them.

neither one of kyungsoo’s parents respond to chanyeol’s glowing review of their son’s abilities as a chef. kyungsoo’s mother looks bored and kyungsoo’s father merely takes a sip of his drink.

chanyeol isn’t exactly sure why, but he suddenly recalls the conversation with sehun about the different earthling conventions that were alien to him. more specifically, the point sehun had made about how some humans on earth base their worth on how much money they possess. and even more bizarre to a simple lunarian like chanyeol, some males take great pride in being well endowed. it’s not like one even has control over the size of one’s genitals.

in a state of panic to engage kyungsoo’s parents and to leave a good impression, chanyeol decides to embellish a little. “and he has a very nice penis,” he tells them. in actuality, chanyeol has no idea of his statement’s accuracy but he supposes it’s something he should know as kyungsoo’s boyfriend.

kyungsoo’s father spits out the champagne upon hearing chanyeol’s words. “e-excuse me?”

“i’m sure he gets it all from you, mr. doh. how big is yours? maybe you can show me so i can compare. oh, maybe i can show you mine, too,” chanyeol says. he’s done his research, he knows he has a larger than average sized penis.

“chanyeol!”

chanyeol turns around to see kyungsoo sprinting at full speed towards his direction.

“sweetie, honey, darling,” kyungsoo says. he slips his arm around chanyeol’s and gives it a firm squeeze. “mother, father, what are you guys talking about?”

“we were just discussing—” chanyeol begins.

kyungsoo cuts chanyeol off before he can finish his sentence. “mother, father, have you greeted uncle and auntie byun yet?”

“maybe i should say hi to them, too. i should tag along with you parents and perhaps, we can get to know each other better,” chanyeol says with the biggest and most charming smile he can muster. spending more time with them will increase the odds that they’ll approve of him.

“no, sweetie, honey, darling,” kyungsoo says, tightening his grip on chanyeol’s arm. “i need your help with something. mother, father, if you’ll excuse us.”

chanyeol allows kyungsoo to drag him away from his parents. he finds it strange how kyungsoo keeps referring him with pet names he’s never heard kyungsoo use before.

as soon as they’re out of earshot from his parents, kyungsoo releases his hold. “why were you talking to them?”

the tone of kyungsoo’s voice leaves chanyeol feeling unsettled. 

“i thought it would be a good idea to make the first move and introduce myself to them. show them that i knew who they were even though we hadn’t been formally introduced. did i do something wrong?” he asks, nervous as to how kyungsoo will respond.

contrary to chanyeol’s expectation, kyungsoo’s expressions soften. he smiles but it’s not the same kind of smile chanyeol’s used to seeing. 

“you didn’t do anything wrong, chanyeol. i’m just under a lot of pressure today. anyways, the guests are taking their seats soon, you should join them. help yourself to the snacks—i know you haven’t eaten anything all day. and no more penis talk, okay?”

not wanting to cause kyungsoo any additional stress, chanyeol complies with his request. he pulls kyungsoo in for a quick hug and whispers into the man’s ear. “everyone’s going to enjoy the food, kyungsoo. i just know it.” 

chanyeol joins the other guests into the main hall where the ceremony and reception will take place. it takes a little while, but he finally locates his placecard—kyungsoo’s plus one—and takes his seat. he picks up the program and begins reading the schedule and notes.

_and a special thanks to mr. doh myungsoo for catering the wedding ceremony._

“myungsoo?” he reads out the misprinted name out loud. 

chanyeol feels outraged at the lack of respect. did they not even bother to proofread and make sure there weren’t any errors. chanyeol doesn’t want kyungsoo to see his name misspelled and asks the man sitting beside him if he has something to write with.

the man nods and hands him a weighty pen. “please be careful with that. it’s a montblanc—very expensive.”

“thanks, i’ll return it to you in a couple of minutes,” chanyeol assures the man.

chanyeol corrects the spelling of kyungsoo’s name and begins making rounds to each table, turning each_ m _into a _k_. it’s not his finest work, but it’ll do.

he returns to his table but the man he borrowed the pen from is nowhere in sight. unfolding his napkin, he writes ‘_thanks_’ in large block letters and wraps the pen inside of it before setting it down beside the man’s placecard.

two ladies take their seat at the table and chanyeol overhears their conversation.

“did you hear that one of baekhyun’s cousins is catering this wedding?”

“the food probably won’t be any good, but you know his parents. they’re far too cheap to pay a _real_ caterer. i heard he’s even doing all of this out of his own pocket.”

hearing the woman insult kyungsoo, chanyeol can feel his rage bubbling up to the surface again. to quell his anger, chanyeol decides to nibble on one of the snacks in front of him.

his hand hovers over a plate of pale yellow coloured snacks shaped like small flowers. it reminds chanyeol of the _he loves me_ incident earlier. suppressing a wide grin, chanyeol picks up one of the small flowers with his fingers and pops it into his mouth.

as soon as it hits his tongue, chanyeol immediately realises it’s a knob of butter that had been moulded into a shape of the flower.

“why would there be a plate of butter on the table?” he asks himself when his eyes land on the basket of bread rolls.

he tries to find his napkin but recalls he had used it to wrap the pen he had borrowed earlier. the longer the knob of butter remains in his mouth, the more it begins to melt from the warmth of his tongue. not wanting to ingest the entire thing, chanyeol spits out the butter into his hand. he covertly reaches out to the napkin closest to him and uses it to wipe his sullied hand. 

shaking his head at what’s just happened, chanyeol is in need of a drink to calm his nerves and to get rid of the buttery aftertaste. he picks up the bottle of wine and almost drops it in the process, his hand still slippery from the grease of the butter. not wanting to risk losing his grip again, chanyeol sets the bottle down. 

the taste of butter still lingering on his tongue—he’s never been a fan of the stuff—chanyeol scans the room for something sweet. his eyes land on a three tiered cake and he makes a beeline towards it, plate in hand. picking up the cake knife set beside it, he cuts himself a generous sized slice. he’s earned this, what with all the close calls he’s avoided and the numerous fires he’s had to put out today.

he wastes no time and takes a bite of the cake—it’s freaking delicious. he takes another mouthful, savouring the sweetness of the dessert when all of a sudden he hears a shriek.

“you spilled it on purpose, didn’t you? you’ve always been jealous of me!”

“i didn’t! the bottle is covered in some kind of oil for some reason and it just slipped right out of my hand!”

the lady wearing an apricot coloured dress—now stained with a red wine colour—grabs the other woman’s hair. “you’ll pay for this!”

as guests try to break up the fight, innocent bystanders get pushed and shoved causing more mayhem. a glass falls to the floor, shattering on impact.

“watch out!”

as soon as the struggle between the two women ends and put to rest, another incident occurs immediately after.

“that’s my pen, you thief!”

“i didn’t know, i just found it here on the table!”

“stop chewing on it! it probably costs more than what you earn in a month!”

one of the men throws a punch. the assault continues with a tackle to the floor. the madness in the room continues, with more guests exchanging blows.

chanyeol sets his plate on the table and scans the room for kyungsoo, concerned for his safety.

“you! what are you wearing?” a man—who chanyeol recognises as baekhyun—asks him.

chanyeol had forgotten he’s still in his casual wear after leaving his tuxedo in the groom’s suit for junmyeon. in an attempt to ease the tension, he cracks a joke, “can you believe this entire outfit cost me less than ten bucks?”

this, however, backfires immensely. chanyeol takes a step back when he sees the scowl on baekhyun’s face.

“it’s okay, dear. he’s here to celebrate our big day, and isn’t that what we should focus on?” a man intervenes.

chanyeol eyes the man’s rolled up trousers and bunched up sleeves. recognising the man’s attire, chanyeol finds it almost comical how junmyeon isn’t wearing the tuxedo so much as the tuxedo is wearing him.

“he’s wearing sandals… and _socks_for crying out loud!” baekyun continues to voice his complaints.

“i didn’t realise there would be a strict dress code. i’m really sorry. but you know what would make you feel better?” there’s nothing chanyeol wants more than to piss off the groom, especially considering he’s part of kyungsoo’s family. he turns around to pick up his plate from earlier and offers it to baekhyun. “you should try some of this, it’s really tasty!”

baekhyun’s eyes widen and his jaw hangs open. “i-is that our wedding cake? y-you cut into our wedding c-cake?”

“i was feeling a little hungry and was told to help myself to the food,” chanyeol replies, trying not to panic. he looks around the room again, trying to locate kyungsoo. if anyone can help him smooth things over—it’s him.

“this was supposed to be the happiest day of my life but you’ve ruined everything! how could you?” baekhyun has completely lost his cool and has his hands wrapped around chanyeol’s neck.

as he gasps for air, chanyeol tries to pry baekhyun’s fingers off of him.

“and i know it was you who ruined my bouquet—my best man told me who he gave the flowers to and you’re the only one to fit the description!”

“let go of him, baekhyun! please—for me!” junmyeon pleads, arms snaked around his future husband’s waist and pulling him away.

baekhyun yields and loosens his grip on chanyeol’s windpipe.

chanyeol collapses to the floor, choking and spluttering as his lungs fill with air again. “i’m really sorry. truly,” he apologises.

“you need to leave. now,” junmyeon says with a stern expression on his face. he comforts baekhyun who has burst into tears, gently patting the man’s back.

without having to be told twice, chanyeol picks himself off the ground and makes his way towards the exit. when he turns the corner, he sees kyungsoo in the middle of a heated discussion with his parents.

“okay, fine! i admit it—chanyeol isn’t really my boyfriend. i was tired of always having to prove myself to you, but it doesn’t matter to me anymore. i don’t care if you don’t think he’s good enough for me!”

“oh, thank god it was all a farce!” kyungsoo’s mother says.

“it’s not—i like him! he’s kind, considerate, thoughtful and he makes me laugh. i really do like—chanyeol!” kyungsoo covers his mouth with his hand when he sees chanyeol. “w-what are you doing here?”

chanyeol doesn’t answer him. he walks towards the kyungsoo and holds his hand. he looks into kyungsoo’s parents eyes and bows his head. “please excuse us—thanks.”

he turns on his heel and makes his way towards the elevator, kyungsoo in tow. they ride the lift without uttering a single word, fingers still intertwined. as the elevator door opens, chanyeol leads kyungsoo down the corridor and continues walking towards their hotel room.

he opens the door and ushers kyungsoo to enter first. closing the door behind him, chanyeol can feel his heart thumping inside of his chest. there’s so much on his mind right now. he’s still trying to process what he’d overheard kyungsoo say to his parents. what did kyungsoo mean? did he like chanyeol in a platonic way, or were his feelings romantic?

although chanyeol’s dying to clarify the meaning behind kyungsoo’s words, he needs to put it on hold for the time being. the first thing chanyeol needs to do is apologise.

“kyungsoo, i fucked up. i fucked up so bad and i can’t even begin to tell you how sorry i am,” chanyeol says. he can feel his eyes start to water. he looks up towards the ceiling as he tries to stop himself from tearing up.

“what happened? what did you do?” kyungsoo asks, unaware of all the pandemonium chanyeol has caused.

chanyeol takes several deep breaths before recounting the events that occurred while he and kyungsoo were apart. after he’s finished telling the story, the two sit in silence.

after everything kyungsoo has done for him, chanyeol is at a loss for words. he doesn’t know what else to say or how to make it up to kyungsoo. and so he waits, patiently, for the other to react.

“let’s go out on the balcony,” kyungsoo finally says after approximately ten pain-stakingly long minutes.

looking up at the night sky, chanyeol’s never noticed how pretty the moon is from planet earth. “wow,” he whispers quietly.

“the moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” kyungsoo asks.

chanyeol freezes—he doesn’t even blink. he’s well aware of the true meaning behind the question. in fact, kyungsoo had been the one who told him about it.

a long time ago, a japanese student had translated the english phrase, “_i love you_.” although it was technically correct, his english teacher pointed out the direct translation was awkward to say in real life. 

at the time, japanese people were hesitant to express their love directly. therefore, the english teacher amended the translation—“_the moon is beautiful, isn’t it?_”

chanyeol doesn’t know how to respond. what if kyungsoo was merely pointing out the moon’s beauty? especially considering the amount of times chanyeol had dismissed the notion whenever it was mentioned before.

as his brain tries to decide on how he should interpret kyungsoo’s words, he feels kyungsoo rest his head on his shoulder.

“are you really going to make me spell it out for you, chanyeol?” kyungsoo looks up at him, their eyes making contact.

chanyeol’s gaze lowers to kyungsoo’s lips and he feels the urge to lean forward.

“m-may i kiss you?” chanyeol makes sure to ask permission before acting, not wanting to move forward without explicit consent. his hands are sweaty and he feels as if his heart is about to burst out of his chest.

kyungsoo nods and shuts his eyes. chanyeol draws his face closer and presses their lips together. he pulls away ever so slightly, his lips a hair length away from kyungsoo’s.

chanyeol can feel kyungsoo’s warm breath hitting his face. a hand gently combs through his hair, a soft moan escaping his mouth.

their lips make contact again—this time more passionate. chanyeol’s mouth moves from kyungsoo’s bottom lip to his top. as they continue to kiss, kyungsoo gently nibbles on chanyeol’s bottom lip before slipping in his tongue.

“_you’re_ beautiful, kyungsoo,” chanyeol murmurs each word in between their lips crashing into each other. 

when their kiss ends, chanyeol opens his eyes to see kyungsoo beaming at him with a wide smile.  
chanyeol finally understands why sehun would move to the moon for the man he loved. and why people say, “_if you don’t know whether or not you’ve ever been in love, it means you haven’t._”

with a heart filled with happiness, chanyeol wraps his arms around the man and pulls him into a back hug. despite the chilly night breeze, chanyeol doesn’t feel the slightest bit cold.

hands intertwined, they watch the stars in the sky until the sun begins to rise. chanyeol fights the urge to yawn, not wanting to disturb kyungsoo but succumbs to his fatigue.

“excuse me,” chanyeol says.

kyungsoo pulls away from the embrace and places his hands on chanyeol’s cheeks. “i’m ready to go back home, aren’t you?”

chanyeol smiles. he never thought he’d ever want to leave planet earth but he’s willing to travel anywhere so long as kyungsoo is right by his side.

he moves closer to kyungsoo, their foreheads make contact and their noses touch. “but first—i have a question to ask,” chanyeol says, “how would you like to be my boyfriend?”

  


  
  
  



End file.
